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Get Involved with Student Life

Have a say in shaping Student Life at U of T. Student advisory committees and involvement opportunities give you a direct way to share your ideas, represent your community and influence the programs and services that support you.

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How students help guide us

Student involvement is central to our work in Student Life. Through advisory councils, focus groups, consultations, assessment surveys and committees, students share perspectives that shape Student Life programs and services. These groups bring together full-time and part-time undergraduate students, second-entry professional faculty students and graduate students, to ensure a wide range of student voices are heard.


Student needs and values, together with university strategic frameworks and documents, guide the direction and programs of Student Life.

Learn about the ways to get involved:

Student advisory committees

Student advisory committees connect Student Life staff with U of T students. By sharing your experiences, you help shape programs, services and supports that reflect what students need. Your input shapes Student Life’s work as you build skills that empower you to become a leader in your community – advocating for peers and championing important issues.

When you take part in a student advisory committee, you:

  • Influence decisions that affect your peers
  • Develop leadership, communication and advocacy skills
  • Build meaningful connections with staff and fellow students
  • Gain experience that can be recognized on your Co-Curricular Record (CCR)
  • Receive an honorarium or other recognition (depending on the committee)

Unit-level advisory committees

Departments across Student Life host their own advisory committees. By joining one, you provide direct input on programs and resources in a specific area, making sure they reflect student needs and experiences.

Student Life advisory council

The Advisory Council brings together representatives from local departments and resources. This group creates a feedback loop between students and staff, ensuring that student perspectives inform decisions that affect Student Life as a whole.

Student Life advisory committees:

Apply with one form

Complete the central application form➚ to select and apply for one or more of these unit-level committees.
Applications close September 12, 2025

The GradLife Student Advisory Committee helps shape the graduate student experience by providing valuable feedback on Student Life programs and services. The focus of this committee is on:

  • 1) identifying opportunities and gaps in service provision and communication
  • 2) exploring engaging ways to support graduate student community and connection, and
  • 3) providing feedback on the annual GradLife conference. 

The committee consists of 8-10 St. George graduate students with representation from the four School of Graduate Studies divisions and includes both master’s and PhD students. Members will be chosen to reflect the diversity of our graduate student community and based on schedule alignment. We strongly welcome students from underrepresented groups. 

The 2025-2026 term runs from September 2025 to August 2026. During this time, you will be expected to attend four two-hour in-person meetings over the year (dates will be determined later, but usually meetings are held in October, December, February, and April/May). Students who attend at least three meetings and complete a quick reflection activity will receive official CCR recognition for their skills in communication and strategic thinking.  

Contact 
Nik Roberts-Stahlbrand 
Student Life Coordinator, Graduate Student Life and Outreach
Nik.roberts.stahlbrand@utoronto.ca

Students are our most valued partners. We prioritize student involvement in the process of developing, implementing and evaluating Health & Wellness initiatives on the St. George campus. The Health & Wellness Student Advisory Committee (H&W SAC) supports the improvement of client care and student experiences at Health & Wellness. The H&W SAC helps ensure that policies, programs, services and environments are inclusive, accessible, adaptive, affirmative, anti-oppressive and promote cultural safety.

Recruitment for the 2025-2026 Health & Wellness Student Advisory Committee will begin in the fall of 2023. For questions about the committee, please email health.promotion@utoronto.ca.

Health & Wellness provides a range of health services for your physical and mental health, wellness programs and information to help support you in achieving your personal and academic goals. Find more information about Health & Wellness.

The Housing Services Student Advisory Committee provides advice about programming, services, policies and initiatives for students.

Student Advisory Committee members attend three meetings during the academic year: one in October, one in January and one in March. You can earn Co-curricular Record (CCR) recognition by participating in the Student Advisory Committee.

The staff at Housing can help you find a great home. Use the StarRez portal to apply for residence, or log in to the Off-Campus Housing Finder to search for rentals and find roommates. Attend our events or meet with us in person to get help with your housing search and learn about your tenant rights.

Contact
Don Sison
Assistant Director, Housing Services
dj.sison@utoronto.ca

The Multi-Faith Centre Student Advisory Committee (MFC-SAC) provides the director of the Multi-Faith Centre with advice about programming, services, policies and initiatives for students.

The purpose of the Multi-Faith Centre Student Advisory Committee (MFC-SAC) is to serve in a consultative capacity for the University of Toronto’s Multi-Faith Centre. The MFC-SAC consults with Centre staff by providing feedback and advising on student needs in relation to MFC programs, services and use of space.

The committee will:

  • Provide advice and feedback on MFC’s strategic vision, mission and direction.
  • Advise on potential areas of development and recommend future initiatives.
  • Advise on student needs and how MFC can best serve students through programs, services and space provision.
  • Provide advice on outreach and delivery of MFC programs and services.

We provide an inclusive space for you to engage in community, where you can learn, grow and explore diverse cultural and spiritual perspectives.

Contact
MFC Team
multi.faith@utoronto.ca

Student Engagement is comprised of three teams: Mentorship & Peer Programs, Orientation Transition & Engagement, and Clubs & Leadership Development. The Student Engagement Student Advisory Committee aims to give students the opportunity to review, assess and provide feedback on programs, services, supports, resources and other offerings from Student Engagement, to identify how they are or are not benefitting our audiences.

Committee objectives are, but not limited to:

  • Provide students space to speak about current student experiences, challenges and barriers to participation.
  • Recommend areas of support needed.
  • Recommend new programming and gaps in existing programming, and when to offer it in the lives of students.
  • Identify the impacts of the pandemic in remote and in-person learning.
  • Review best practices in communication strategies.
  • Recommend how we should be partnering with students and other stakeholders.
  • Provide feedback on the SE Curriculum Framework.

Students will receive a letter of recognition and credit on their Co-Curricular Record for full participation, and an honorarium if they attend a minimum number of meetings.

Students who participate will be able to assess program offerings supporting co-curricular learning and development necessary for diverse student success.

The TCard Services Student Advisory Committee provides advice about programming, services, policies and initiatives for students.

Student Advisory Committee members attend three meetings during the academic year: one in October, one in January and one in March. You can earn Co-curricular Record (CCR) recognition by participating in the Student Advisory Committee.

Your TCard is your Student ID. Use it to gain access to places on campus, put money on it for food, printing, laundry and more. Attend our TCard pickup events or meet with us in person to get help with your all your T-Card needs.

The TCard team helps students get off to a successful start at U of T!

Apply directly

These unit-level committees have their own application process. Explore each committee to learn how to apply.

Accessibility Services assists in navigating disability-related barriers to your academic success at U of T for your on-going or temporary disability. We provide services and supports for learning, problem solving and inclusion. 

The Accessibility Services Student Advisory Committee is a joint effort between students and Accessibility Services staff to advise and inform matters relating to the Accessibility Services office (St. George campus), including the enhancement of the disability service model to and for students. In addition, the committee provides opportunities for students to share their perspectives with various campus partners. 

In previous years, discussion topics have included: 

  • A review of online student accessibility portals and Student Life webpages 
  • Insight and feedback on the Accessibility Services Student Experience Survey 
  • Supports and services available at Accessibility Services 
  • Co-curricular activities and opportunities for students with disabilities 
  • Discussions with Executive Director, Student Life Programs & Services, Heather Kelly, and Vice-Provost, Students, Professor Sandy Welsh 

Contact 
Accessibility Services Student Advisory Committee 
accessibility.sac@utoronto.ca 

The Centre for Community Partnerships Student and Alumni Advisory Committee provides input on the direction of the Centre for Community Partnerships programs and services.

Discussion topics include, but are not limited to:

  • On-going and new initiatives at the CCP
  • Effectiveness of programs and services offered at the CCP
  • Recommendations for next steps to enhance community engagement and community-based learning opportunities at the University of Toronto

We collaborate with students to advance community-engaged learning and research (CEL/R) through building community, enhancing capacity and learning together.

Contact
Ewa Cerda-Llanos
Lead Coordinator, Co-curricular Learning
416-946-7356
ewa.cerda@utoronto.ca

The Centre for Learning Strategy Support Advisory Committee is a student advisory group, but with a few twists.

Participants will not simply meet to make recommendations, but will be engaged in a process of inquiry, discussion, and where possible, other non-traditional, arts-based approaches. In this way, it will not only provide us with essential student perspectives, but will be an opportunity for an intellectual and community-forming experience for the student participants.

Think of it as a kind of co-curricular research experience in which you can bring your personal insight as a student to bear on the questions that preoccupy us in the Centre for Learning Strategy Support – What does it mean to “study”? How can students be more deeply engaged in their own learning processes? What kinds of study-skill programming resonates with students? What barriers exist to student participation?

The group meets 4-6 times a year with food provided (when meeting in-person). Participation will be recognized with a $300 stipend and accredited on students’ Co-Curricular Record.

The International Student Experience Student Advisory Committee (ISESAC) provides advice and feedback to staff representatives from the Centre for International Experience (CIE) on the strategic direction, services, physical space and programming related to international student experience on the U of T St. George campus.

The responsibilities of the committee are to:

  • Advise on and recommend improvements to international student experience (ISE) services and programs (health insurance, legal status services, building community, understanding U of T and enrichment programs).
  • Advise on student outreach efforts throughout the University.
  • Assist with identifying new programs and initiatives.
  • Recommend future directions and possible areas for development.

The advisory committee meets up to 6 times in an academic year (approximately 1-2 times per semester).

Contact
Yoko Maekawa
yoko.maekawa@utoronto.ca

Other involvement opportunities

Student Activity Space Committee

The Committee for the Allocation of Student Activity Space (CASAS) decides how the 50+ shared offices at 21 Sussex Clubhouse are assigned to campus groups, student societies and multi-faith needs.

Each year, student representatives join staff from Student Life on the committee to decide how student activity space is shared on campus.

Learn more about CASAS >

Student Initiative Fund

The Student Initiative Fund (SIF) provides up to $3,000 in funding for student-led projects that build community and enhance the student experience at U of T.

Each year, six students sit on the SIF Committee alongside staff from Student Life. Members have the chance to support student ideas and shape campus life.

Learn more about SIF >

Guiding frameworks and documents

The strategic frameworks and university documents that guide our programs are: